 | Candia Marcello
An Italian entrepreneur, who for 25 years continued his father’s business and later decided to sell everything and to spend the last 20 years of his life in the most remote regions of Brazil to help the poor and the sufferers.
The whole mission of Marcello Candia is well summarized by the phrase written on a wall of his house in Brazil: “We can not share “the heavenly bread” with the poor unless we have first shared “the earthly bread” with them.”
This was the spirit, the method and the goal of all the engagements of this great lay missionary.
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His Life
Marcello, the third of five brothers, was born on July 27, 1916, near Naples (Italy) in a rich family from Milano. Marcello’s father had many industrial factories in Naples, Pisa and other cities.
Marcello’s father was not a very devout believer. He was a very honest and hard-working man and loved his wife (a very devout Catholic) very tenderly. He thought that he had a good share in the wife’s faith and religious activities. Marcello was very close to his mother. He recalled how his mother, each time she took the children out to bring some help to the poor, would always bring them first to a Church for a short prayer.
From her mother Marcello inherited a simple but staunch faith combined to a great love and solidarity for the needy and faithfulness to prayer. These two guiding forces later directed Marcello’s entire missionary life.
Unfortunately, his mother died in 1933, at the age of 42. Marcello was only 17. For a year, Marcello could not cope with the loss of such an important teacher in his life.
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Marcello was a very bright student at Pavia University, where at 23, he graduated in Chemistry. He continued his studies and got a degree in Pharmacy and Biology as well.
In 1943, right after the war, Marcello had the opportunity of coming in contact with the Franciscan capuchins in Milano, who led him to social activities in support of the needy.
In 1950, Marcello met two Italian missionaries from Brazil, who greatly influenced him: a Franciscan capuchin Fr A. Beretta and a PIME father A. Pirovano (future bishop of Macapa). These two missionaries opened Marcello’s eyes to the great needs of the poor and sick in some remote areas of Brazil.
Marcello decided to work with Fr A. Pirovano. He started making his first contacts and made several trips to the Amazon region to have a first look at the place where he would live as a missionary.
But that same year, Marcello’s father died and he was left with the heavy responsibility of conducting the huge family business. His missionary dream had to be postponed.
On the night of August 22, 1955, another tragedy seemed to shatter definitely his dream. A huge fire destroyed his factory and caused immense damage to the adjacent area. Marcello had to deal with hundreds of legal implications and had to start all over again to rebuild the industry, make it running properly before he could leave for Macapa.
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It was only in 1965 that Marcello could make the final decision of selling everything and going to Macapa (against the advice of most of his friends).
Once on Brazilian soil, Marcello had to face many difficulties. His best friend and supporter, Bishop A. Pirovano was no longer in Brazil. He had been called back to Italy. Many missionaries did not understand Marcello’s plans. At 50, he found very hard to learn Portuguese. Even some local Government officials became suspicious of the intentions of this Italian business man. He was even accused of mishandling money. Among all sorts of misundarstandings, Marcello began putting all his energies, talents and wealth at creating his immense web of works of mercy: first a huge hospital at Macapa, then a Leprosy Centre at Marituba, followed by 14 other centres and two Carmelites Convent for contemplative prayer.
His health deteriorated quickly. In 1967 suffered a first heart attack, followed by four more. Finally, Marcello Candia died, not of heart attack but of cancer, on August 31, 1983 in a hospital in Milano.
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His Legacy
Marcello Candia used to repeat, “he who has received much must give much”. Marcello was conscious of having received much from God. He felt God’s call to give much to others, especially the poor and the sick.
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“It is not enough to just send an economic aid to the poor. I must share their poverty, at least as far as possible. It would be too easy for me to stay here in my comfortable life and send some of my superfluous to the poor. I am called to share their lives.”
In a letter to his friends, dated May 21, 1977, speaking of his Leprosy Centre at Marituba, Marcello writes: “I find myself immersed in an extremely painful and dishuman situation. Often, when I pray for ‘my brothers’, I add, ‘Lord, I hope I am sincere when I call them brothers.’ As a human being, at times I feel disheartened and unable to carry on this work. Only a strong trust in God gives me the necessary strength not to run away. Together with all the friends who share this work with me here at Macapa and Marituba, and are of great example to me, I express to you all our gratitude for your support, your convictions and your prayers.”
When Pope John Paul II visited the Leprosy Centre of Marituba on August 13, 1983, he expressely asked to meet “Marcello, the apostle of lepers”.
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This is what Cardinal Martini said in 2003 on the occasion of Marcello’s 20th anniversary of his death: “Marcello Candia had a great trust in God’s grace, in prayer and in all those who prayed for him and his work.”
The same Cardinal on January 12, 1991, opened the Diocesan process for the canonization of Marcello Candia.
To close friends, who were asking him why he did not have a steady girl friend he used to say:
“When you fall in love with the whole of humanity, you do not feel the need to love one single person”.
Truly, the words written on a wall in his house in Brazil, are the best programme of Marcello Candia’s life.
“We can not share “the heavenly bread” with the poor unless we have first shared “the earthly bread” with them.”
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